Serve breakfast like a king…

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2024/2-3

Nutrients, vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and more: it is easy to make them all part of the breakfast experience in a spectacular way, and even easier to highlight them in products or menus. Data on home breakfast shows a global decline, presumably because we are less able to fit a long breakfast into our daily routine.

According to a Pek-Snack survey from last year, in Hungary nearly three quarters of people have breakfast, and 44% consider breakfast the most important meal of the day, but most of these people spend only 10-15 minutes or less with it. While the majority buy something for breakfast in a shop, a third of respondents also prefer to have breakfast in a bakery or café –this very much depends on how much money one has.

Many breakfast dishes that were previously treated as table-bound can now become on-the-go products. To the west, drive-thru outlets of big coffee chains are multiplying rapidly

Correlations

The world’s “breakfast industry” needs to adapt to key trends: the demand for variety, customisation and convenience, and even consumer expectations of mobility and portability. In 2024 many breakfast products that were previously considered table-bound may now become on-the-go foods. The number of places where we can buy breakfast is also growing, with petrol stations and large grocery stores having quality deli and shop-in-shop sections. On the content side: like many other forms of eating, breakfast is influenced by the so-called snacking trend, which means that breakfast ingredients are presented as snacks, often with a different appearance, consistency and colour. People enjoy eating breakfast in a restaurant, no matter how important a meal breakfast is for them. In Hungary if you include professional bakeries, there are hundreds of quality breakfast places, but most of them are located in the capital city.

Concepts

The concept of 24/7 breakfast has originated overseas, but the trend is conquering Europe. We have analysed in several articles why customers choose to eat breakfast all day; the arguments are now joined by a new one: at a time of trade down in the hospitality industry, many people are happy to choose from the more affordable breakfast offering. Restaurant owners, sensing the pressure on profitability, are looking for new business models, trying to rethink their concepts. For example they take into account that guests make sacrifices for convenience, that brunch is a promising concept and that international cuisines can bring a great diversity to breakfast. Plus there are the vegans, vegan flexitarians, and people with various food intolerances – they need to be catered for, too. Drinks can also be seen as a source of revenue and profit. In Budapest many breakfast restaurants serve wine or champagne with meals, and in the most expensive hotels champagne is part of the buffet menu.

The state of things

We have conducted a very non-representative, but still presumably realistic survey of what is on offer in Hungary, relying on Bing’s AI for help. The most popular items on the menus of Hungarian breakfast restaurants are smoothie bowls, i.e. smoothies with fruit, yogurt or milk and various toppings: seeds, muesli, granola, fruit, chocolate and the like (prices range from HUF 790 to HUF 1,590), avocado toast (HUF 990 to HUF 1,490) and banana bread (HUF 590 to HUF 890). The myriad egg dishes range from HUF 790 to HUF 1,990 in Budapest, and pastries cost between HUF 290 and HUF 990. Simple coffees are available for HUF 390-790, teas for HUF 290-590. Breakfast restaurants usually open at 8.00 and close between 15.00 and 20.00.

_{The world’s “breakfast industry” adapts to the dominant trends; global favourites, popular diets
are also appearing in breakfast}

Hotel trends

Breakfast is also a central issue in the hotel industry: it is a guest’s first meal of the day, but also their last impression before departure – it is no wonder that the industry is rediscovering and redefining its potential. We asked Ákos Bősze, HoReCa business development executive of METRO about hotel breakfast trends: “In hospitality breakfast is a crucial meal and a key service, which is very popular and guests always use it, even if they don’t usually have breakfast at home”. Mr Bősze added that as a new trend, hotels dedicate part of the breakfast table to local specialities and traditional local flavours. Brunch has been making a comeback since summer 2023: in Budapest there are already restaurants offering all-day breakfast. Breakfasts also reflect the consumer demand for experiences. One way of satisfying this need is the so-called live stations, which make it possible to prepare a personalised breakfast for guests, typically egg dishes and hot meals. A unique feature of the live stations is the smoothie and fresh juice station, where a variety of nutritious, fibrous and vitamin-rich fruit and vegetable drinks is made.

Our friend, the machine

Vending machines are increasingly important in hospitality, and this is also true for breakfast services. Marriott International is testing new generation vending machines in one of its cheaper chains, Fairfield Inns & Suites, as a possible replacement for its free breakfast buffets. Self-service kiosks have been put in wall to wall: in the morning guests can get free hot sandwiches, yogurt, cereal and fruit from these, but they can also purchase a la carte meals and coffee specialities via apps. In the US a school breakfast programme provides children in more than 90,000 schools with a healthy, nutritious breakfast – for free or at a reduced price. A school district in West Virginia has purchased vending machines to ensure that students have access to a healthy breakfast. //

Vending machines are connecting healthy breakfasts and social support using digital tools in a growing number of US schools

For each target group what it likes

Richárd Révész
marketing director
Danone

Mizo is present in lots of product categories and it was the 4th most often chosen brand in Hungary in 2023 (Kantar) for a reason. Our quality products are made from 100% Hungarian milk and they are available in a variety of formats. For breakfast people mostly choose our milk, milk drink, iced coffee and yogurt, and for sandwiches our butter, dairy spread and cheese products. Last year we launched the Milky Way children’s milk drink range to contribute to the healthy development of kids. //

 

 

We are present in several product categories

Aliz Varga
senior brand manager
Bonafarm

Mizo is present in lots of product categories and it was the 4th most often chosen brand in Hungary in 2023 (Kantar) for a reason. Our quality products are made from 100% Hungarian milk and they are available in a variety of formats. For breakfast people mostly choose our milk, milk drink, iced coffee and yogurt, and for sandwiches our butter, dairy spread and cheese products. Last year we launched the Milky Way children’s milk drink range to contribute to the healthy development of kids. //

Cereal bars are also popular

Levente Németh
marketing manager
Nestlé Cereals

A hearty breakfast

Tímea Tulkán
private label manager
METRO

Breakfast products are present in several categories (deli, bakery, canned, ultra fresh, coffee and tea, dry…) and METRO’s own brand offering can cover the entire breakfast needs of a classic 4-star hotel. In line with our strategic ambitions, in 2023 we focused on developing our products in this area, mainly to serve the hospitality industry. METRO Chef frozen pastries were a new innovation in our own brand selection, which our partners can bake on-site and serve warm. //

More price-conscious consumers

Zoltán Matskási
marketing and
business development
director
Pek-Snack

Eating pastries in the morning is a very important and widespread habit, so almost our entire product range is relevant at breakfast. The most popular items in our breakfast range are our mini products, as these small-sized pastries are easy to eat and handy to take with you on a busy weekday. In the morning pastries are most often enjoyed with dairy products and coffee, as the combination of dairy and pastry makes for a delicious breakfast. //

Driven by trends

Anna Pókecz
marketing manager
Cerbona

For breakfast we mainly recommend muesli, cereals, rice porridge and oat porridge. These classic breakfast products are really popular with our consumers. Cerbona continues to develop products that bring high quality, delicious and innovative food products to the market. We have a strong focus on modern eating habits when innovating. Cerbona strives to develop products that suit all lifestyles, which is why we have a range of gluten-free, protein-enriched, no added sugar and vegan products. //

Classic breakfasts – modern solutions

István Mikos
company director
Ceres

We offer a wide range of toast breads – essential for a classic breakfast, perfect for sandwiches and toast. Besides these, our sweet products can also be a great and delicious addition to breakfast. Ceres’ product development is always inspired by the latest trends and modern solutions. We not only follow but also try to shape changing consumer needs, so our latest innovations support our consumers in developing conscious eating habits. //

Consciously focusing on quality

András Palkó
marketing director
Coca-Cola HBC
Magyarország

For breakfast Coca-Cola HBC Magyarország offers two premium coffee brands to consumers: Caffè Vergnano and Costa Coffee. Our high fruit content products are the perfect complement to nutritious and varied morning meals. Half of our beverage selection is low or zero calorie products. The proportion of these drinks is steadily increasing in our portfolio, by making changes in existing recipes and introducing new innovative products. //

Low fat content

Beáta Bukovenszki
head of domestic sales
Gallicoop

Starting the day with a nutritious breakfast improves our mood and well-being. High meat content Gallio turkey products are easy to incorporate into a health-conscious daily diet, thanks to their outstanding protein and extremely low fat content. Our innovation team is constantly brainstorming, tasting, designing and looking for new solutions. We have developed Gallio turkey bacon for people who want to eat healthily, but don’t wish to miss out on the taste experience of traditional bacon. //

Instead of and after breakfast

Zsófia Szilágyi
junior brand manager
Maspex Olympos

In the morning our cereal-enriched Kubu Teatime and Topjoy Snack products are the perfect choice for kids and adults alike. 100% fruit and cereal in a small bag. The products are made exclusively from natural fruit purées, with nutritious cereals. They are also the perfect substitute for sugary sweets or whenever you need a little extra energy! The products contain no flavouring, added sugar, preservatives or colouring. //

Research-based product development

Éva de Gereczné Rudnai
purchasing and
marketing manager
Real Nature

Real Nature Kft. offers quality products for a complete daily diet. We have been present in the Hungarian market for almost 20 years. We develop our products from plant cultivation and livestock farming to the final product with sustainability in mind, respecting the long-term interests of future generations. Our product portfolio includes Real Nature cottage cheese, Greek yogurts, Joya cooking creams, Terra crisps, Nobilis products, Wojnar and Green Heart spreadable creams, and Lunter tofu products. //

Speed and quality

Viktória Ozoróczy 
non-fuel retail manager
Shell Hungary

A good cup of coffee is a great way to start the day and Shell Café customers know this very well, so they like to come in early in the morning for a nice cup. Those driving to work love our freshly made sandwiches and pastries, as well as the hot drinks and juices. Our regularly renewed breakfast offers and the popularity of Shell hot dogs is undiminished. Sweet breakfasts are just as popular as savoury ones, and we also offer a range of vegetarian and vegan breakfast options. //